Settings for the Garden of Katmandu Trilogy

As the plane approached Nepal, he got a glimpse of the Himalayan range, no longer hidden by clouds. The mountains separated this isolated country from Tibet, taken over by the Communists in 1951. In the distance the snow laden peaks were indomitable gods in contrast to the fertile vegetation at the lower altitude.

"To the right of the plane is Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world - 29,029 feet high," announced the pilot. "Tenzing Sherpa, a Nepalese, and Sir Edmund Hillary, a New Zelander, were the first to reach the top on May 29, 1953."

The Pomelo Tree, page 12

Most of the seats were occupied by Nepalese. They were returning home to celebrate the annual Dasain Festival, involving several days of animal sacrifices. The Hindu holidays began the last day of September and ended during the second week of October."

The Pomelo Tree, page 12

As the plane circled the Kathmandu Valley, Carl got a glimpse of Bodha Nath, a Buddhist Shrine, containing the All Gazing Eyes. The ubiquitous eyes ... gazed into the four directions, keeping an eternal vigil… At the base of the dome Buddhist monks in maroon robes circled the shrine, spinning prayer wheels with mantras inside of them.

The Pomelo Tree, page 12

The clock behind the desk registered 2:10 as he entered the enclosed garden, lined with cedar trees. He strolled past a statue of the Buddha, meditating in the lotus position. The serene image was surrounded by a prickly pear cacti. Marigolds, mums and roses blossomed along the gravel path. A majestic tree stood in the center of the garden, with green pomelos, twice the size of grapefruit.

The Pomelo Tree, page 40

In the empty fields alongside the road, black buffaloes and goats grazed on the stubble of the paddy. Golden sheaves of harvested grain were stacked into mounds at regular intervals.

The Harvest, page 30

Carl bolted toward the rocks in the field where the cobra was undulating toward Darlene. Its sleek body suddenly halted like a question mark. The snake was poised, ready to strike with a flickering red tongue.

The Harvest, page 54

"The villagers believe the rhinos are a threat to their survival. The whole forest once belonged to the rhinoceros. Now much of the forest has been cleared and cultivated," continued Arjuna. "Human population pressure is causing the rhino to become extinct.

The Harvest, page 56

Eventually the passengers, the mahouts, and the elephants moved harmoniously in the forest. The jungle was dense with gnarled vines hanging from the branches of the sal tree.

The Harvest, page 85

Reaching the town's square with its sprawling banyan tree, Carl observed the yawning shopkeepers, sluggishly lifting their shop doors. . He was disturbed by the aloofness and silence of the merchants, the result of the invasion of the guards from the State of Emergency.

The Harvest, page 177

His muscles shriveled as the fire devoured the flesh, leaving the air reeking with the odor of burnt flesh and hair. While the flames consumed the corpse, the intense heat forced the mourners to retreat from the pyre by going down the river.

The Harvest, page 183

After putting garlands of flowers around the cow's neck, they all prostrated on the ground to worship the cow, a manifestation of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth.

The Harvest, page 222

That evening they strolled through the bazaar to enjoy The Festival of Lights, a veritable fantasyland. Oil lamps flickered in the doorways, casting liquid shadows in the darkness.

The Harvest, page 225

Carl strolled past a cottage, where pumpkin and cucumber vines sprawled across the thatched roof and hung over the veranda. On the porch, a wrinkled woman was combing the hair of a teenage girl. The woman picked lice from the girl's head, crushing them with her index fingers.

The Shamans, page 2

The view of the Himalayas from the veranda was magnificent. Macha Puchari, the Fish Tail, emerged from the clouds like Moby Dick surfacing from the ocean. Millions of years ago the entire region was underwater.

The Shamans, page 45

A few minutes later Carl paused beneath a cottonwood tree, hearing the pathetic whine of a leper sitting on a worn piece of burlap.Leprosy had devoured his fingers and toes, leaving only stumps for hands.

The Shamans, page 5

He strolled through the open gate of the campus, previously the Prithivi Narayan College , named after the conqueror who had unified Nepal in 1763. The name had been changed to Tribuwan Univeristy in honor of the king's grandfather.

The Shamans, page 6

The path became narrow as they continued toward a sagging suspension bridge in need of repair. The barefoot coulies, burdened with their dokhas, picked their way across the rickety bridge in single file. They were followed by the guide and the trekkers.About twenty feet below, the stream roared and its tumultuous current thundered over the huge boulders.

The Shamans, page 57

When they got to Fewa Lake , they caught sight of several nude bathers, sprawled out on towels near the rocks. Others were swimming near the pier or diving from rowboats.Upon reaching the pier, Myrna rented a boat. A few minutes later she was dipping the wooden oars into the water. As she rowed along, the wind subsided and waves became less turbulent.

The Shamans, page 95

He recalled the Gurungs were a unique ethnic group dwelling in the region north of Pokhara.The atmosphere of the town was inviting. From the doorways of their sturdy slate-roof homes, the townspeople smiled and waved to the travelers.A lazy dog, lying alongside the road, opened one eye to get a glimpse before dozing off again. The buffaloes grazing in their pens, turned their heads to stare at the new faces passing through town.

The Shamans, page 112

Ranjit took Carl to the shaman's home on the northern edge of the town. His stone house and sheds were isolated from the rest of the community at a higher altitude. Chickens and ducks wandered in the courtyard where the shaman was sitting on a mat, weaving a rug on a loom.

The Shamans, page 117

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